Procurement Services

Procurement cards are here at SUNY Cortland, do you have yours? It is the new way to make business purchases faster, easier, and without all the paperwork. When a procurement card is used for purchases, purchase requisitions and purchase orders are not necessary. Cards are used like any other credit or debit card, and monthly statements are electronically sent to the campus.

Statements are forwarded to the appropriate departments where cardholders are asked to verify their charges and assign account numbers. Terry Hollenbeck in the Purchasing Office is the Procurement Card Coordinator and your contact for card applications, training on the procurement system, statement questions or any other card matters. She can be reached at extension 2306. Call her to request your application!

Besides the convenience of being able to make purchases quicker and easier, the cards save money because of not having to generate additional paperwork or add waiting time for processing, etc. The last time it was analyzed, it was almost $70 per transaction from start to finish to complete a purchase transaction using standard state procedures. Another compelling reason for using the procurement card, especially for small dollar items, is that the State Comptroller's Office (OSC) strongly discourages purchase order transactions for anything less than $250 and in fact Cortland was cited for excessive small dollar transactions in its most recent State audit. The best way to eliminate these is to use procurement cards instead. The per transaction limit on the cards is $2500. Individual departments can set their own limits if they desire. They are accepted wherever VISA is accepted and can be used online, in local stores, etc. and for CONFERENCE and SEMINAR REGISTRATIONS! They cannot be used for other travel purchases such as hotels, airlines, meals, etc.

The Business Office goal is for everyone on campus to have, or have access to someone who has a procurement card so that no one has to generate a purchase requisition for small dollar purchases. There is no requisite as to a person's hierarchal level at the University to be able to obtain a card, only that they have access to a computer so that they can certify their charges on a monthly basis and that their supervisor/manager/Dean approve their spending from the departments' accounts.

If you have other questions about this program, you may contact Terry at the above number or Purchasing Manager Sam Colombo at ext. 2305. Please take advantage of this simple program, it's a win-for-all. Request your card today!

Procurement Card User Benefits

You have the freedom to:

Place orders when convenient for you

Select vendors

Follow-up on order status

Establish relationships with your suppliers

You Save time because:

No more Purchase Requisitions and lost/misplaced paperwork

Reduced errors

Fewer reviews and signatures

You set your own schedule for ordering

You can handle urgent needs when they occur

You know or can learn the status of your orders

You determine delivery dates and special instructions

P-Cards are Vendor and Internet Friendly

Increased supplier pool

Ability to quickly research products and compare prices

Find what you need and place your order-no delays

Choose the best product for your departments

You can set up accounts to streamline future orders with your vendors

Purchasing Support

We are always available

We will train you

We will help you resolve problems

We can work out solutions for special circumstances

We believe in your ability – You are the best person to handle your department’s needs